Guido Burgstaller: We’re on a high

Guido, can you describe the emotions as you ran towards the fans after Naldo’s equaliser?

It was quite simply an amazing feeling. I would love to experience it in every matchday, but that wouldn’t be good for our mental state. The atmosphere was incredible.

Because you normally stay pretty relaxed…

I always try to take it easy after a match. It was an intense game; I took some time to reflect in the dressing room afterwards. I went through a few of the match’s highlights in my head and tried to calm down my heartbeat.

How high was your pulse in the dressing room after the game?

It was already high after the first half. And of course after the second half, too! A lot went wrong in the first 45. We talked about that during the break. The team came out with a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve and we knew we wanted to show the fans more. I’m very happy that it worked out.

What happened at half-time?

We came together and said that anything can happen in football. Every shot was a goal for them. It was silly that it happened in the derby. We cast away the memory of the first half and looked forward to the next 45. We were determined to win the second half and to play better football. That was the key to our success.

You started the comeback with your header in the 61st minute…

I always knew we could score a couple of goals. Everyone gave everything on the pitch and we were rewarded.

Describe the moment of your goal.

It was a great ball from Benjamin Stambouli. I quickly checked where Roman Weidenfeller was standing and I could see that he was quite far off his line. After that, it was all impulse. I tried to head the ball over him and it worked out well!

How much confidence and energy does that give you for the home match against Köln?

The team was already on a high going into the derby. We lost that in the first half against Dortmund, but we turned it around. We take momentum from that and the team is fully focussed on getting three points at the VELTINS-Arena. It will be a very tough game. We’ll need to be concentrated throughout.

Köln are currently last in the league. Is there a danger you don’t take them seriously?

Not at all. Köln may have picked up few points, but they’re fighting for their head coach. Peter Stöger has been doing a great job for many years and all his players want to turn things around, to at least take a point from this weekend’s game. I truly hope they don’t manage it!